Conservative party will not pay back Asil Nadir’s Polly Peck donations

The Conservative party has said it will not repay donations received from Asil Nadir’s Polly Peck business in the 1980s, despite the former fugitive tycoon’s theft conviction.

Then prime minister Sir John Major promised that the donations, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, would be returned if the money was ‘dishonestly obtained and dishonestly donated’ after Nadir fled to Northern Cyprus in 1993.

Asil Nadir was convicted on ten out 13 counts of theft (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Nadir, of Mayfair, London, was found guilty of ten out of 13 counts of theft worth £28.6million from his own business empire at the Old Bailey today.

But following the conviction the Tories said there was no evidence the donations had been stolen and said they had come from Polly Peck itself.

‘The Conservative party has no record of having received donations from Asil Nadir,’ the Tories said.

‘Donations were received from Polly Peck companies more than 22 years ago; these were accepted in good faith from what was then considered to be a leading British company.

‘There is no evidence that money donated to the Conservative party from the Polly Peck group was stolen.’

Earlier, Labour MP Simon Danczuk said the money should be paid back.

‘Even John Major’s government, which was mired in sleaze, knew they’d have to give back Asil Nadir’s money if he was found guilty,’ he said.

‘David Cameron must honour the unequivocal promises the Conservative party have made to repay the £440,000 they accepted from Asil Nadir in the 1990s.

‘If he doesn’t, it will show the Tory party aren’t serious when they claim they want to clean up politics.’

Michael Mates, a minister in the Major administration, was forced to resign in 1993 after it emerged he gave Nadir a watch inscribed with the words ‘Don’t let the buggers get you down’ for his birthday.

Shortly afterwards Nadir fled the country.

Nadir’s wife Nur, 28, has said her husband plans to appeal. He is due to be sentenced tomorrow.